Mechanical power unit



P. C. HUTTON MECHANICAL POWER UNIT June 13, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet J.

Filed Nov. 20, 1947 Paul 6. Hutton INVENTOR.

amywyvm June 13, 1950 v P. c. HUTTON 2,510,978

MECHANICAL POWER UNIT Filed Nov. 20, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3.

mi 4% I Paul 0. Hutton JNVENTOR.

June 13, 1950 c, HUTTON 2,510,978

MECHANICAL POWER UNI:

Filed Nov. 20, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 nqqnn clnuup Paul 6. Hutton INVENTOR.

P. C. HUTTON MECHANICAL POWER UNIT June 13, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 20, 1947 Paul 6. Hut/on INVENTOR.

BY MB,

Patented J une' 13, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL POWER UNIT Paul C. Hutton, Washington, D. C.

Application November 20, 1947, Serial No. 787,076

2 Claims. (01. 185-37) This invention relates to a mechanical power unit, and more particularly to the type of device illustrated and described in Patent No. 2,420,825 issued to me on May 20, 1947.

The primary object of the invention is to store energy in a spring and to convert the energy so stored into rotary motion for various purposes, such as driving an eraser, operating a small drill, or for any other purpose where rotary motion may be employed or desired.

Another object is to facilitate the periodic storage of the energy in the spring for repeated operation and to govern the rapidity with which the energy stored in the spring may be dispensed.

A further object is to arrest or free the rotary elements of the device while the latter is held in the hand of the user, and also to utilize the energy of the arm movements of the user in storing the energy in the spring.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features an elongated tubular housing, a shaft mounted in the housing to rotate about the longitudinal axis thereof, spring actuated means carried by the housing for rotating the shaft, governing means carried by the housing to retard the rapidity with which the shaft rotates, and means on one end of the shaft to support a rotary eraser or the like thereon for rotation therewith.

Other features include means movable in a rectilinear path away from the housing to energize the spring of the spring actuating means and governing means carried by the housing to retard the rapidity with which the shaft rotates.

Still other features include manually releasable means normally arresting rotation of the shaft.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a mechanical power unit embodying the features of this invention and showing it equipped with a rotary eraser.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the device taken in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which Figure 1 is viewed,

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of F gure 2 l Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the push button in shaft releasing position,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of Figure 2,

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a modified form of the invention,

Figure 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the device of Figure 9 taken in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane in which- Figure 9 is viewed,

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the invention illustrated in Figures 9 and 10,

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line l2|2 of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line I3-I3 of Figure 10,

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13 showing the push button in a position to free the shaft for rotation,

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line l5l5 of Figure 12, and

Figure 16 is a fragmentary plan view of the tape or ribbon showing it extended.

Referring to the drawings in detail a tubular 7 housing 20 is provided adjacent one end with diametrically opposed elongated longitudinal slots 22 which open outwardly through the adjacent end of the tubular body. Formed in the body 20 near the inner ends of the elongated longitudinal slots 22 are diametrically opposed transversely extending slots 24, the axis of which lie perpendicular to the plane of the axes of the slots 22 as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 2. Formed adjacent the end of the body 20 remote from that through which the slots 22 enter are diametrically opposed aligning slots 26, the axes of which lie parallel to the axes of the slots 24 previously mentioned and the wall of the body between the slots 26 andthe adjacent end of the body converge to form a tapered portion 28. Formed in the legs of the body formed by the slots 22 in longitudinally spaced relation are diametrically opposed openings 33 and 32, the axes of which lie parallel to the axes of the openings 24 for the reception of axle shafts 34 and 36 respectively the purpose of which will more fully hereinafter appear. A head 38 extends transversely of the body adjacent the aligned openings 26 on the side remote from the tapered portion 28, and this head is provided with an axial o ening 40 through which the eraser drive shaft to be more fully hereinafter explained is mounted to rotate.

Extending transversely through the aligned slots 24 in the body 20 is a plate 42 having an axial opening 44 which aligns with the opening 48 in the head 38, and carried at opposite ends of the plate 42 on the outside of the body 20 are hinge barrels 46 to which are hingedly coupled folding grip members 48 which are adapted to fold upwardly against opposite sides of the body 20 as illustrated in Figure 1. The hinge members 46 are so arranged that when the grip members 48 are unfolded as illustrated in Figure 2, they will be held in a position to lie along an axis which lies perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body.

Mounted for rotation in the aligning openings 40 and 44 about the longitudinal axis of the elongated tubular body 20 is a shaft 50, and fixed to the shaft adjacent the end which projects throughthe opening 441s a bevel drive pinion 52. The portion of the shaft which projects through the opening 40 is flattened as at 54, and as illustrated the end of the shaft projects through the tapered end 28 of the tubular housing 28 and carries a suitable sleeve 56 in which a rotary eraser 58 is supported. This eraser may be of conventional form'or may be constructed of glass fibers or the like according to the desires of the user.

Mounted for rotation on the shaft 38 is a bevel gear 60. having meshing engagement with the pinion 52, and carried by the hub of the gear 68 is a spur pinion 62 which has meshing engagement with a spur gear 64 which is mounted to rotate on. the shaft 34. The hub portion of the gear 64 is provided with a ratchet toothed bevel pinion 86, the purpose. of which will be more fully hereinafteerexplained.

Mounted-in the housing 20 for vertical sliding movement parallel with the shaft 5!! is a pull rod 68 which is providedatitsextreme lower end with a forkedmember I0, thepurpose of whichwill be more fully hereinafter described. A forked. follower plate 12 is carriedby the rod 68 near the inner end of therod. but llspacedparallel relation to the forked member and formed near the opposite endof, the rQdis afiattened portion carryingratchet teeth I4 which are adapted to. mesh with, theteeth ofthe ratchet pinion 66 as i e ad nder du on re n t Fie-v ure 8. A cross member I6 is fixed to the end of the pull'rod 6 8 remote from the forked member n h n v qene ted. a t 8 to opposit n he r s smbe a rip 8 w ch r wan e a c q e ate it h i forming hand holds by which the parts may be grasped in the hands of theoperator for exerting pull onthe pull rod 68 relative to the housing 20. A suitable leaf spring 82 is fixed to one of the legs formed on the body by the slots 22 and bears against the pullr0d168 to yieldingly urge the teeth I4 thereon into engagement with the teeth of the pinion '66.

Surrounding the shaft 50 and bearing at one end against the underside of the plate 42, and at its opposite endon the forked follower plate 12 is a'com'pression'coil spring 84, and fixed to the forked member'lll, and forming a tight fit within the tubular body '20 is a movable plunger 86, which cooperates with the head 38 in compressing air within a chamber 88 formed in the housing between the head 38 and the plunger 88. It will thus be'seenthat as the rod' .68 is moved under the influence of 'the spring 84 the speed of movement will be governed by the rapidity of the escape of air which is being compressed in the chamber 88 around the shaft 50.

Mounted for sliding movement through the aligned openings 26 is a push rod 88 having formed therein an elongated longitudinal slot one wall 92 of which is inwardly offset for engagement with the flattened portion 54 of the shaft 58 when it is desired to arrest rotation of the shaft. It will thus be seen that by sliding the push member 88 transversely through the slots 26, rotation of the shaft 50 may be stopped or started at the will of the user.

'In employing this embodiment of my invention the user. grasps the grips 48 and 80 which have been extended into the position illustrated in Figure 2, and exerts pull on the pull rod 68 to move the follower toward the plate 42 and compress the spring 84. Such movement simultaneously retracts the plunger 88 from the head 38 so as to draw air into the chamber 88 through the opening 48 around the shaft 50. During this compressing motion of the spring, the teeth 74 will ratchet harmlessly over the teeth of the pin- 4 ion 66 so as to avoid rotating the gear train and the shaft. With; the spring 84 fully compressed, it will be evident that its energy will be exerted on the follower plate 12 so as to exert pull on the pull rod 68 and impart rotary motion to the gear train through the'meshing' of the teeth 14 with the teeth of the pinion 66,thus driving the shaft 58, and rotating the eraser 58f Rotation of the shaft is governed by exerting pressure on either end of the push plate 88 so as to move the offset portion 82 of the wall of the slot 9|] into or out of position to intercept the flattened portion 54 of the shaft 58 and arrest motion of the shaft. In this way the movements of jthe' shaft may be easily controlled by the operator. Obviously as the plunger 66 moves toward the head 38 under the influence of the spring 84 the air confined in the chamber 8 8 will be compressed so that the rapidity with which the spring expands is retarded in direct proportion to the rapidity with which the air escapes from the chamber 88, and hence the speed of'rotation of the shaft 50 is governed.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 10 through 14' inclusive a tubular housing 94 is provided adjacent one end with a pair of diametrically disposed parallel longitudinally extending arms 98 intermediate the ends of which is fixed a shaft 98. A similar shaft I88 extends between the arms 96 substantially midway between the shaft 98 and the end of the housing 94, and carried at theextreme endsof arms 96 remote from the housing 94 is a c nder I82 the end of which remote from the arms 96 is closed by a head I84, whilethe opposite end of the cylinder I82 has fittedtherein a plug I86, having an axial opening I68 therein whichaligns with the axis of the tubular housing 94. A bracket I I0 extends transverselyacross the end of the housing 94 adjacent the arms 95 and is provided withan axialopening I I2 Mounted for rotation through the axial opening IIZ in the b rack'et H0, and about the longitudinal axis of the housing 94' is a shaft H4, the lower end of which is flattened as at II6 and carries a rectangular portion I I! which extends beyond the end of the housing 94 remote from the arms 96 to receive a sleeve II8 in which a suitable eraser I20 is held. The end of the shaft i 14 remote from "the flattened portion I56 has fixed thereto a bevel drive pinion I22 which has meshing engagement with a bevel gear I24 which is mounted for rotation on the shaft I00. The hub I26 of the gear I24 carries a toothed wheel I28, the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter explained. Carried by the hub I26 of the wheel I24 adjacent the end remote from the toothedwheel I28, is a crank disc I30 carrying an eccentric pin I32 to which one end of a com necting rod I34 is coupled. Mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in the cylinder I02 is a piston I36, the piston rod I38 of which projects through the opening I68 in the plug I06 and has pivotally connected thereto as at I40 the opposite end of the connecting rod I34. It will thus be seen that as the gear I24 rotates to drive the pinion I22 and the shaft II4, the piston 36 will be reciprocated in the cylinder I02, to compress the air in opposite ends of the cylinder and hence retard the speed with which the gear I24 and shaft II4 are driven.

Mounted for rotation on the shaft 98 is a spring loaded drum I42, and fixed to the shaft 90 within the drum I 42 is one end of a spiral spring I44, the opposite end of which is riveted or otherwise fixed to the drum so that when the drum is rotated in one direction, the spring will be energized. Attached at one end to the drum I42 is a tape or ribbon I46 which is so arranged that when the drum rotates under the influence of the spring I44, the ribbon will be wound on the drum. The ribbon I46 is provided with a longitudinal row of longitudinally spaced openings I40 in which the teeth of the wheel I28 engage, so that as the drum I42 rotates under the influence of the spring I44, the gear I24 will be driven to cause the shaft II4 to rotate.

The ribbon or tape I46 is of the self-winding type, that is it is so tensioned as to tend to wind upon itself, and the end of the tape or ribbon I46 remote from that which is connected to the drum I42 is fixed to a shaft I50 carrying spaced parallel disks I52 which cooperate with the shaft in forming a reel or magazine upon which coils that portion of the tape which is not wound upon the drum. A suitable ribbon guide I54 is carried by a bracket I 56 and extends outwardly in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the drum I422. The ribbon guide I54 is provided along opposite side edges with upstanding flanges I50 the outer edges of which are adapted to be engaged by the projecting ends of the shaft I50 when the tape is wound thereon between the disks I52 in order to support the tape magazine in proper position during the winding of the tape on the drum I 42. Formed at the ends of the flanges I58 adjacent the sprocket or toothed wheel I28 are inwardly projecting guide tongues I 60 which as shown partially overlie the top surface of the ribbon I46 adjacent its opposite side edges in order to hold it in engagement with the teeth of the sprocket or toothed wheel I20 during the normal operation of the device. In order that the ribbon or tape may be disengaged from the sprocket during the winding of the spring I44, the ribbon is provided in its side edges adjacent the end remote from that which is attached to the drum I42 with oppositely disposed notches I62 through which the guide tongues I60 may pass. When the drum has been fully wound, the notches I64 adjacent the end which is attached to the drum I42 will align with the guide tongues I60 so that the ribbon I42 may be re-engaged with the sprocket or toothed wheel I28 and the device made ready for use under the influence of the energy stored in the spring.

- In order to provide a manual control'for arresting rotation of the shaft II4, the tubular housing. 94 is provided near the end remote from the bracket I Illwith diametrically opposed aligning openings I66 through which a push bar or member I63 is slidable. .Like the push member 08 previously described this push member I60 is provided with an elongated longitudinal slot I10 having an offset portion I'I2 which when the push-member is in position is adapted to ngage the flattened portion II6 of the shaft H4, to arrest rotation of the shaft.

In using this embodiment of my invention, the energy is stored in the spring I44 by exerting pull on the shaft I50 to which the tape or ribbon I48 is coupled. The fingers are hooked around the projecting ends of the shaft I50 and the tubular body 94 is grasped in the opposit hand. The tape I46 is then disengaged from the sprocket I28 so that upon moving the parts away from one another along a rectilinear path the tape I46 will be uncoiled from its position about the drum I42, thus energizing the spring I44. With the spring thoroughly energized, the tape is re-engaged with the sprocket I20 and upon releasing pull on the shaft I50, the tape will coil itself upon the shaft I50 between the flanges I52. Upon moving the push member I66 to free the shaft II4 for rotation, it is obvious that the engagement of the teeth of the wheel I28 in the openings I48 in the ribbon or tape I46 will rotate the gears I24 and I22 by the effort of the spring I44 to wind the tape on the drum I42 and cause the shaft II4 to be driven. Too rapid rotation of the shaft is governed by movements of the piston I36 in the cylinder I02, and rotation of the shaft may be arrested by moving the ofiset portion I12 of the push member I68 into a position to engage the flattened portion II6 of the shaft. Hence by shifting the position of the push member I68 back and forth through the slots I66 it is evident that th rotation of the shaft II4 may be stopped or started under the direct control of the operator.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed:

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mechanical power unit which includes an elongated tubular housing, a shaft mounted in the housing to rotate about the longitudinal axis thereof, one end of the shaft projecting beyond one end of the housing for coupling to an eraser or the like, a gear train carried by the housing and having driving connection with the shaft, a toothed pull rod movable longitudinally through one end of the housing and having meshing engagement with a gear of the gear train, a compression coil spring encircling the shaft within the housing, and means carried by the pull rod adjacent the inner end thereof for engaging the spring and compressing it as the pull rod is moved in a rectilinear path away from th housing.

2. A mechanical power unit which includes an elongated tubular housing, a shaft mounted in the housing to rotate about the longitudinal axis thereof, one end of the shaft projecting beyond one end of the housing for coupling to an eraser or the like, a gear train carried by th housing and having driving connection with the shaft, a toothed pull rod movable longitudinally through ohe eiid of the hofiin end having meshing engagement with a gear ot' the gear" tfeifl, a, com p'r'ession can spring encircling" the shaft within the housihg moms on the pill} rod adj sweet the ifin'er end thereof for eriggihg the spring and 5 c mmessmgit as the -pun rod is moved 9, rectilinai' 135th away from the houing'; a plug" in the housihg :adjaceht the nd thereof remote from the gear train to retard the scp of air from said housirig and a 915mm deified by the pun red adjaent the inner end ther'eoz and movable in unison therewith fore'fizia'res's'ing air within the housing and against the filiig to produce a ushion aairist Whih the some of the smug-1s extited.

PAUL C. HUTTON;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,283,599 Thomas Nov. 5, 1918 1,503,787 Folk i -1 Aug. 5, 1924 1,685,411 Arnold Sept. 25, 1928 1,961,243 Pereira. 1 June 5, 1934 2,259,964 Sussman h Oct. 21, 1941 2,419,045 Whittaker Apr. 15, 1947 2,420,825 Hutton May 20, 1947 2,429,040 Zavefl Oct. 14, 1947 

